Do you sometimes have a yarn that you think is BEAUTIFUL, but you dont know quite what to do with it, and every time you try to use it, it ends up looking TERRIBLE?
My sister Jen bought a marled bulky handspun superwash wool with medium length color changes at Maryland Sheep and Wool a couple of years ago, and wanted it made into something she could finally wear.
It took me 5 tries (the first 3 of which were prettty terrible) to find something that showcases the yarn in a way she will actually want to wear, but here is my unblocked, half knit winner:
Project Stats:
Folktale Handspun Yarn
Color: Luned
4.1 oz - 165 yards (I consider this to be bulkyweight)
Knit on size 10 straight needles
Final Pattern Choice: Morning Surf Scarf (Ravelry Link)
I feel like I owe the blog a HUGE apology, and when I was knitting the first 3 FAILS, I didnt consider the blogworthiness photos would have before I ripped them out and started the next thing. It IS sort of typical that I would forget to take pictures though! Here is a summaryl of the first 4 attempts:
- Handwoven Scarf on my Loom - Using a creamy white alpaca blend warp, I wove about 45 rows before I realized the medium length color repeats were just too long for the scarf, they made kind of unmatching and unflattering colorblocks. Plus the cream colored warp was too bright. I wove and unwove all 45 rows in less than an hour. Luckily, now my loom is all warped up and ready for me to choose another yarn to weave a 5 inch scarf with!
- Regular stockinette hat with a 1.5 inch 2x2 ribbed rim - This didnt look horrible, but it didnt really flatter the yarn very much, and I didnt think Jen would ever have it as a favorite hat she actually gravitated towards.
- Entrelac Hat - WHOA. This looked really REALLY homemade. In an extra bad, no one will EVER want to wear this kind of way, I spent about an hour on this one before I pulled out the row of initial triangles, plus 6 entrelac blocks. I am sort of glad I dont have a picture to remind me of it.
- Morning Surf Scarf Pattern - I used this pattern with handspun to make some really pretty Christmas presents a couple of years ago, and I thought it might work. I acutually ripped out 3 Morning Surf Scarf attempts before I got the right scarfwidth and drop stitch length.
- FINALLY!! This Morning Surf Scarf (Ravelry Link) has only 23 stitches, and I have reduced the drop stitch pattern to make the waves a little shorter, but I really think it works.
I will be sure to post another pic of this after the blocking. And don't worry, I emailed a picture of the last attempt to Jen before I kept on knitting, just to make sure she liked it too, and she does.
Want to see a picture of the yarn before its knit up? Here you go:
I should have gotten one while it was in the skein, it was much prettier that way.
One thing I will say for this yarn, it has held up pretty well to being ripped and remanipulated so many times.
More knitting project details coming your way later this week, as I dig through my WIP's and projects-in-waiting for inspiration!!
